25 spectacular patterns in nature—and where to see them
Published 11 Apr 2019, 13:45 BST, Updated 11 Apr 2019, 17:48 BST
"One may imagine this is an aerial photography, but the image was captured from the edge of a sinkhole, in Bodoquena Mountains, Brazil. In the photograph, a broad-snouted caiman—Caiman latirostris—crosses the lake at the bottom of the cenote. The depression circumference is roughly 500m and it is about 100m deep. Water collects at the bottom and forms a shallow lake. Some caimans live in this wet environment. How they got there and how they survive is a mystery."
Photograph and caption by Ary Bassous, 2019 National Geographic Travel Photo Contest
"Coastal fog cascades over Bolinas Fairfax Ridge in West Marin County, California on an August afternoon. Conditions like this are typical during summer months, but can transform the landscape into something resembling a ski resort when photographed using long exposure techniques."
Photograph and caption by Christopher Markisz, 2019 National Geographic Travel Photo Contest"There is a valley of rainbows in Central Patagonia, Argentina."
Photograph and caption by Tetsuya Nomura, 2019 National Geographic Travel Photo Contest"Trudging through the deep snow, two bison meet face to face. Having survived a near extinction, the ones calling Yellowstone National Park home now focus on surviving the cold winters—methodically clearing snow in order to reach the frozen vegetation. Usually traveling to conserve energy, the large mass of a bison quickly create a path for others to follow. In this case, however, there seems to be a disagreement on whom will follow."
Photograph and caption by Taylor Albright, 2019 National Geographic Travel Photo Contest"Some places like El Rosario National Reserve in Mexico, make you feel humble andgrateful you are alive and can see nature's beauty. Like a time machine, the child in you has to be awakened. I took a few photos, but then decided that the best pictures cannot be taken, you just hold them in your heart. I put down the camera, sat on my rear end and looked up quietly. The monarchs gather in Michoacan to spend the cold months, between November and March. Some of them make it all the way from Canada."
Photograph and caption by Tihomir Trichkov, 2019 National Geographic Travel Photo Contest"A close up into those beautiful eyes."
Photograph and caption by Panagiotis Grammatikakis, 2019 National Geographic Travel Photo Contest"The leading lines of these methane bubbles point toward the mountain, along with the shapes created by the bubbles, making this image possible. The ice being as clear as it is was a plus."
Photograph and caption by Gary Hunter, 2019 National Geographic Travel Photo Contest"This photo was taken by a drone when it was flying above a tulip field in Seattle, Washington. The orange, yellow, purple colors are tulips in bloom and the green color is growing flowers. Farmers planted the flowers so well, that the same types of tulips bloom at the same time, which made all flowers sequenced like a rainbow."
Photograph and caption by Brice Weaver, 2019 National Geographic Travel Photo Contest"The Parson’s chameleon—Calumma parsonii—is the largest chameleon in the world. It is roughly the size of a small cat. This chameleon is the smaller of the two subspecies—Calumma parsonii cristifer—and was about a foot and a half long. Males are typically green or turquoise in color. The males also have ridges running along their head, that end as horns at their nose. Females are smaller than the males and overall greenish, yellowish or brownish. The Parson’s chameleon is endemic to Madagascar."
Photograph and caption by Anuroop Krishnan, 2019 National Geographic Travel Photo Contest"A small crab protects his anemone. Macro photo taken during scuba dive in Pulau pef in the Raja Ampat Islands."
Photograph and caption by Claudio C., 2019 National Geographic Travel Photo Contest"Taken from a Zodiac boat on a cruise through an iceberg field on three-week sailing trip to the Antarctica Peninsula aboard the tall ship Bark Europa."
Photograph by <p>Photograph and caption by Michael Kramer, 2019 National Geographic Travel Photo Contest</p>
<p> </p>"On occasion, as divers, we are in exactly the right place at the right time to witness an inexplicably beautiful event unfold. While watching a school of fish expand and contract in the Revillagigedo Islands, I suddenly realized a once in a lifetime moment was occurring. A giant oceanic manta ray entered the school from the left, and as it neared the center, the fish morphed into a near perfect sphere. The wings of the manta rose as it crossed the centre of the sphere and I squeezed the shutter taking exactly one frame."
Photograph and caption by On Anderson, 2019 National Geographic Travel Photo Contest"On my recent trip to Lake Kerkini, Greece, I got up close and personal with the globally threatened Dalmatian Pelicans. Being the largest pelicans in the world, these birds are amazing to photograph, especially during winter when their breeding colours—red and orange—brighten up the shot."
Photograph and caption by Damilice Mansur, 2019 National Geographic Travel Photo Contest"Lake Retba, or Lac Rose, (Pink Lake in English), the beautiful former finishing point of the worldwide race known as the Paris-Dakar Rally. Located north of the Cap-Vert peninsula of Senegal, 30km north-east from the capital city of Dakar, the lake took its name for its pink and red waters, caused by Dunaliella Salina algae and is known for its high salt content—up to 40% in some areas."
Photograph and caption by Paul-Vlad Epure, 2019 National Geographic Travel Photo Contest"During the night, there is a good chance to find little shrimps on whip corals. This little guy was hard to find—he was hiding in the tentacles of the corals and has good camouflage."
Photograph and caption by Claudia Peyer, 2019 National Geographic Travel Photo Contest"Nature is amazing. Deep within the Waipu cave system live the arachnocampa luminosa—a glow worm species found exclusively in New Zealand. During the first year before they become actual flies, these glow worms use a special trick to find food-they produce saliva threads hanging into the cave and attract their prey by creating this beautiful glow. It sounds disgusting, but looks so beautiful—from far and close. Only nature can produce such stunning contradictions, captured in this long exposure."
Photograph and caption by Marcel Strelow, 2019 National Geographic Travel Photo Contest"Abstract Iceland from above: A seal colony is seen on the sand banks of Ölfusá River in South Iceland. The shades and tones of blue are a result of different depths of silt carrying mineral rich glacial waters of the river. Aerial shot was taken from a small airplane, a Cessna 172."
Photograph and caption by Andro Loria, 2019 National Geographic Travel Photo Contest"One of the highlights of my Thailand trip was visiting the elephant sanctuary. I got to spend a couple days with the locals away from the city. This is one of the best ways to get a sense of what a culture is really like. My guide Bang picked me up and took me on a trek through the jungle and stayed with the local village where he grew up. He then took me to the elephant sanctuary where I got to interact with the elephants and learn about the work they do to rescue these elephants."
Photograph and caption by Brice Weaver, 2019 National Geographic Travel Photo Contest"On an early October morning, just before harvesting season, I was trekking through the Longji—the Dragon's Backbone—rice fields built centuries ago by the locals, and I was searching for a composition that could be described by the name Dragon's Backbone. It was difficult to anchor the composition around anything, as there wasn't anything interesting, but then I saw the intricate play between light and shadow which resembled the bones of a dragon."
Photograph and caption by Claudiu Falub, 2019 National Geographic Travel Photo Contest"A bison hunkers down in the harsh Yellowstone National Park winter, as the morning sun begins to warm the frosty grass."
Photograph and caption by Kari Dahlstrom, 2019 National Geographic Travel Photo Contest"Kilauea is the youngest and southeastern most volcano on the Island of Hawai‘i. Since 1952 there have been 34 eruptions, and since January 1983 eruptive activity has been continuous along the East Rift Zone. In 2018, Kilauea Volcano experienced its largest lower East Rift Zone eruption and caldera collapse in at least 200 years."
Photograph and caption by Jon Del Secco, 2019 National Geographic Travel Photo Contest"The Dolomites range—mountain peaks to valley vistas—close-up, look like another world."
Photograph and caption by Peter Friedman, 2019 National Geographic Travel Photo Contest"On a late first-snow day, a fantastic moment came at the Blue Pond in Hokkaido, Japan."
Photograph and caption by Shintaro Fujita, 2019 National Geographic Travel Photo ContestLes Drus, above Chamonix, France. "At each sunset, history repeats itself, yet each one is so different. It's a feeling that I cannot explain—it strikes my heart—it's intense, this moment when the sun disappears and allows itself to tint the peaks with the most beautiful colours."
Photograph and caption by Hugo Grandcolas, 2019 National Geographic Travel Photo Contest"A lone man treks along the mesquite sand dunes in Death Valley National Park during a sand storm."
Photograph and caption by Ryan Rogowski, 2019 National Geographic Travel Photo Contest